Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) joined U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski, Ben Cardin, and members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation in announcing that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $7.6 million in federal emergency relief to repair roads and highways across Maryland following the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Lee last September. Hoyer, Mikulski, and Cardin were joined by U.S. Representatives Roscoe E. Bartlett, Elijah E. Cummings, Chris Van Hollen, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Donna F. Edwards and Andy Harris.
“As members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation, we have been united in working to ensure Maryland has the resources needed to recover from the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Lee,” members of the Delegation said. “The unprecedented level of precipitation placed both residential and commercial areas in danger. This disaster continues to have an economic impact throughout communities, which have already contributed a vast amount of resources. This important federal funding from the Department of Transportation will help supplement state and local recovery efforts so that families, businesses and communities across our state can continue to recover and rebuild.”
The emergency relief funding was made available following President Obama’s Disaster Declaration for the State of Maryland and ensures that the already strained state budget is not stretched any thinner as a result of another natural disaster. The Maryland Congressional Delegation sent a letter to President Obama on September 29, 2011 to support Governor O’Malley’s request for a Disaster Declaration following the storm. A copy of their letter is available here.
Tropical Storm Lee deposited up to 20 inches of rain and caused major flooding and damage that washed out roadways, brought major highways to a halt, damaged government buildings, and destroyed homes and businesses. Flooding was compounded by the already saturated soil following Hurricane Irene.Forty-four Maryland State roads and 20 county-owned roads were damaged. The majority of Maryland’s federal reimbursement funding is for three major repairs:
1) $3.1 million to replace the MD 234 Bridge over Allens Fresh Run in Charles County. This bridge was completely washed out and a new temporary structure was constructed in less than three months. Design on a new permanent structure is underway.
2) $1.1 million for pavement and drainage repairs along US 301 near MD 6 in La Plata, Charles County. Two sections along southbound US 301 washed out following more than six inches of rain. Crews worked around the clock to repair both sections of southbound US 301. More than 38,000 vehicles use this section of US 301 every day.
3) $1 million to repair the southbound MD 2 ramp to westbound MD 100 in Anne Arundel County. A massive pipe collapse caused a 70-foot long by 16 foot-wide by 30-foot deep hole to form on the ramp. Crews worked daily to repair the pipe and construct a huge concrete structure under the ramp.
“No matter the emergency – blizzards, hurricanes, tornados or flooding – the men and women of SHA will be there to keep travelers safe along Maryland’s highways,” said State Highway Administrator Melinda B. Peters. “It is gratifying that the federal emergency grants will defray the costs so that the everyday operations to keep highways safe are not impacted.”
